


A fair trade

by Albenkind



Series: Prompt fills [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Comics), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Intersex Loki, Jötunn Loki, M/M, Slow Burn, Unfortunate first meeting, political issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-18
Updated: 2015-05-18
Packaged: 2018-03-31 05:04:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3965443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Albenkind/pseuds/Albenkind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ásgarðr and Jötunheimr are at war.<br/>Thor thinks it would be a good idea to keep Loki a prisoner as long as their realms do not agree on conditions to end the war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A fair trade

**Author's Note:**

  * For [karuvapatta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/karuvapatta/gifts).



> Prompt:  
> "any kind of a fic in which thor is a badass warrior general and loki is his prisoner. it could be a jotun au, or a historical au, or anything really."

Even if he was different, Loki was deeply loved by his parents. Or maybe it was because he was loved. He was way too small for a Frost Giant. So small that his mother did not even realise she was pregnant until it was time for him to be born. He was still small, rather the size of an Æsir than a Frost Giant. He was also... different when it came down to his genitalia, his body was blessed with both male and female sexes. And not only that, there were even small, firm breasts blooming at his chest. They were small, smaller than an apple but they were there; but that was not something many knew. Only his parents and the ones who helped raising him. He had hair on his head - something that was first considered a sickness until the healers revealed that it was indeed hair that was growing on his head. 

Many thought it was because Loki possessed the rare gift of Seiðr. But no matter why that was, Loki did not care, he loved his body and he loved his abilities and loved showing himself around - like today.

Loki would walk that road every single day. It was a fancy road, an avenue to be precise. A pretty avenue, especially during summer. The rare cherry blossoms made everything look like it was ripped out of a dream and the cobblestone was covered with rosy petals. It was the most popular road here in Ásgarðr. The avenue was leading towards the palace so here in this part of the town... only the richest people - apart from the royals - were living here. The mansions were amazing and Loki was truly impressed by the buildings, considering back where he came from... they weren't like that. Jötunheimr was his own realm and even if he was of royal blood as well, the family of Farbauti - his father - had never been as loved and glorious as the family of Odin. 

Ásgarðr and Jötunheimr were realms on that were close to each other in this galaxy and they had been competiting ever since he could remember. Loki had never really been interested in politics but he'd heard about the negotiations and that neither Odin nor Farbauti wanted to agree to the others conditions. It was tiring, really, and Loki wanted to just go home already. Ásgarðr was located near the south, on one of the branches of Yggdrasill that was close to the sun and in contrary to Jötunheimr, it was way too hot here for a Frost .

Loki enjoyed walking through this avenue, knowing very well that he was not exactly welcome here. Frost Giants never were and Loki could not blame the Æsir. He would not welcome them in his own realm either after all. 

But there was something that bothered him. Or maybe bothering was not the perfect word for it... he had noticed a stranger whenever he passed the mansion that was closest to the palace. The stranger was always standing at the window on the first floor from where one would be able to watch over the long street so Loki could watch him in return. 

The stranger had blond hair with tiny braids in it; the top part was tied back into a messy bun so the rest was hanging loosely on his broad, muscular shoulders and his dapper beard had almost the same colour as his hair. Loki had always found bears incredibly weird, considering that Jötuns did not have any hair at all - except for himself. Loki was the only one of his people to have hair on his head.  
The man also looked incredibly tall for an Æsir and his blue eyes looked like the sky when a storm was about to tear it open. It was a wonderful colour and if he wouldn't be of red blood and sun kissed skin, Loki would consider him beautiful. But he was an Æsir so he tried not to pay too much attention to him. Still he could see his proper clothing so not only his home was making it clear that he was wealthy. Red and silver were the most prominent colours in his clothes and he could even catch a glimpse of his furniture when the curtains weren't entirely closed. 

He was the opposite to what Loki was himself. He was broad and muscular, he was radiating heat even from where Loki stood and his eyes felt like he was looking right through him. The stranger didn't even seen to mind that Loki always caught him staring. Loki was... he was cold. The blue of the stranger's eyes were almost the same colour as Loki's skin and Loki could find his crimson eyes in the stranger's tunic. The stranger's golden hair was found in Loki's pompous jewellery that covered his entire body and Loki's black hair and nails were found in the deep black cape that was draped over his shoulders.

Maybe Loki should be alarmed, but he was not. No one would dare to hurt the prince and future king of Jötunheimr. 

The stranger stood at that window each time Loki walked past this house. Loki started wondering if he was always just standing there to enjoy the view or if he figured out the time whenever Loki made his way over to this avenue and waited for him. 

****

"The negotiations did not turn out well, I suppose?" Loki asked later that day when his father came back from his meeting with Odin. 

They were back at the camp in front of the City of Ásgarðr right at the sea of Marmora. Loki had waited here for a few hours now, sitting at one of the rivers and letting his feet hang in the cool and comforting water, casually freezing a few fish that were swimming by. He hadn't really paid much attention to their warriors and what his mother Laufey was doing in their tent. He enjoyed sitting outside since the cool wind from the mountain reminded him of Jötunheimr. Two weeks and he already had enough of the heat in this country.

Loki was rewarded with a frustrated and low grunt that shook the ground. 

"Odin is old. He is a fool and he is even more stubborn than a child!!" Farbauti cursed. 

"What did you two discuss today?"

"He does not take my threat seriously. I made it clear that I will order my people to attack should he not call his people back from my realm!"

"You mean the Æsir colonies in Útgarðr?"

"Yes. He won't leave us alone. The people in the colonies think they can get away with _everything_ simply because they are of red blood! But I can assure you that I will indeed murder every single one of them if he does not show himself willing to at least meet me halfway with my demands." Laufey continued and Loki huffed, standing up from where he sat. 

"What does he want?"

"More soil resources. They want more Endurium for their weapons. I told him our mines are getting empty because they demand too much and we need time to find new ones. I demand lands, fruit and meat here in Ásgarðr in return but he is not willing to give this to us!" 

Loki knew about the crisis with the Endurium. It was a powerful crude metal that was filled with magical properties. Endurium was created when the cosmic energy of Yggdrasil meets a meteoroid the moment it hits the ground. There were tons of those meteoroids thousands of years ago and the when the Norns fell from the sky during the war of Gods, their bodies became stones and then mountains - until the Frost Giants discovered them. Then, they started mining them. And then, the Æsir found out, leading them to the situation they were in right now. 

"We are here for such a long time already, father. Do you think Odin will see reason soon?"

"I know, my love. Just... I need more time to think about what we are going to do now. I wish I could slaughter the colonies so Odin sees that I did not present an empty threat to him. But you know what this action would wake."

"War."

****

A week later, Loki was woken up by something that sounded like an earthquake. _Thunder_ , and the heavy scent of blood and rain in the air. People screaming and hundreds of feet running so it made the ground shake beneath him. He stood up and left the tent immediately as he tried to figure out what happened. His people ran around their camp and it was hot, way too hot and Loki realised some of the tents were burning - the fires were large and wild and impossible to control. His heart was beating fast as the adrenaline rushed through his body, making his senses alert. Loki ran through the masses and tried to find his family. The further away from the tent he got and the closer he got to where the noises came from, the more Æsir appeared - living and dead ones as well as Frost Giants. 

There was red Æsir blood mixed with the blue blood of the Frost Giants, leaving purple pools of thick liquid on the ground and deeply coloured grass. The scent of burned skin filled the air and Loki coughed when he breathed in the smoke of the fire, reaching up to cover his eyes with his forearm as he tried to ease the burn in his eyes. He couldn't see properly due to the fire, the smoke and because there were too many bodies running around aimlessly, fighting and screaming. 

" _Mother_!!" Loki called when he finally caught her. He ran towards her and she swirled around, relief washing over her face.

"Loki! Oh thank the Norns!" Laufey called back. Her voice was shaking.

"What happened?!"

"The Æsir. Laufey wanted to order our warriors to attack but they were faster. They attacked us in our sleep. Go, hide! We will follow as fast as we can!"

Loki did not want to hide but he knew why his mother wanted him to leave. Everything inside of Loki was screaming no. No, help them. No, stay and fight and make the Æsir pay for this. Cowards! Attacking them during negotiations while they were sleeping. But he trusted his mother to take care of this so Loki turned around with a heavy heart, running back, running into the darkness to warn the others. He was the only one to be able to use the paths apart from the Bifröst with which he could travel through the different realms.

But when the sounds of battle started to decease... the silence that followed sounded even more dangerous. The silence... it betrayed him, Loki could feel it. The hairs at his neck stood up and a cold shiver ran down his spine when he stilled. All his muscles were tense as he just stood there, looking into the darkness through the dense forest. Someone was here. Someone had... followed him? Loki frowned and looked back over his shoulder, trying not to move. All he could hear was the far sounds of battle and the rustling of fire. The sound of the wind blowing through the trees. 

But _someone_ was here. Someone he could not see. Loki crouched down, his fingers tingling with Seiðr as he prepared himself for an attack. 

The moment there was a loud crack from the right, Loki shot a burst of green, glowing Seiðr into that direction, the force of the blast tearing down three trees, bursting them open and ripping them apart. But before Loki could see or do anything, there was another sound from his left. Loki barely had time to dodge an attack and when he did duck, he could still feel the draught from the attacker's weapon right above his head where the tips of his horns curved backwards. Instinctively, Loki jumped backwards, bringing enough space between himself and his opponent to take a proper look at him. 

"Show yourself!!" Loki demanded with a firm voice, his Æsir accent heavy that even he could hear it. He could speak their language properly, but he was nervous and wasn't concentrating on his words to be quite honest. Then, the stranger stepped out of the shadows and into the pale moonlight. Loki's heart stopped. It was the stranger from the window he'd been watching for the past three weeks!

The man grinned and revealed snow white teeth that were spared from the blood that was sticking to his body and clothes. 

"You are very good with your Seiðr." The man said, his voice so deep and heavy that Loki could swear he could feel his chest vibrating from over here.

"You and your kin are all cowards!" Loki spat. " _Toll-tóine! Bochd gealtaire_!!"

The man chuckled. "Swearing in your mother tongue does not impress me, Loki."

Loki stilled. How did he know his name? "Who are you?!"

"I am the stranger you loved to present your tits to for the past three weeks." The blond man mocked.

It made Loki twitch with the need to claw his eyes out. He clenched his hand to fists and clenched his teeth, eliciting a chuckle from the stranger. 

"My name is Thor. Son of Odin, future heir to the throne of Ásgarðr. I am also my father's most trusted advisor, named warlord and responsible for planning our strategies for attacks and planning almost everything that is important for Ásgarðr." Thor said with such a proud tone in his voice that Loki could not shake the feeling that Thor simply said all of this to impress Loki. 

"Your titles and duties to not impress me in the slightest, _cladhaire_! I will kill you whether you are royal or not. It does not matter to me."

"Tsk. Such ugly words from one of royal blood." Thor scoffed with a deep growl as he shook his head. 

"It seems to me that you have no idea what is going on here, Jötun. Your father is-"

"I am warning you, prince. Do not speak about my father!!"

"Well then... if you feel like talking is not the solution..." Thor mumbled and swung his hammer, throwing it into Loki's direction. Loki didn't even have time to duck the attack, not having expected Thor to be this fast. He barely noticed the hammer's sound. It was deafening, almost as if a music box was being held too close to another musical box, eliciting the most annoying and high pitched sound. It rang in his ears and then there was a blunt thud that knocked Loki unconscious, leaving his body boneless on the ground. 

****

"Wake up." Someone said. The male voice was dull and Loki groaned. The second he was coming back to his senses, his head started to hurt. He blinked, white dots dancing in front of his eyes from the pain and when he tilted his head, he could see the last streaks of the evening sun coming through curtains. A few lamps were lit in the room and everything he saw had the same colour he could remember from the room where Thor had always been standing. 

"I said wake up! You've slept long enough." Again, the same voice. But this time, someone patted his cheek firmly, making Loki shake his head and he blinked a few times, his breathing getting back to normal as he slowly gained full control over his senses again. 

When he tried to stand up though, he couldn't. Something was holding him down and it didn't take him long to realise that said something was the hammer that had knocked him out earlier. Instinctively, Loki reached down to the hammer's shaft, grabbing it firmly and trying to get it off. He grunted and trashed under it but it would not budge. Loki groaned in frustration. 

"What is this?!" He asked.

"First of all it is the wrong word. _She_ is my most trusted weapon, Mjölnir. She belongs to me and no one else can lift her. Do not even try to get her off. It won't work, not in a hundred years." Thor replied, standing up from where he sat and walking over to the bed Loki was lying in. Thor had taken off his armour and was now dressed in leather pants and a woolen tunic that was adorned with embroideries. The seams were almost ripping apart because of Thor's muscles on his arms. 

"Let me go!"

His demand made Thor burst with laughter. "I just caught you so letting you go would be of no use now! I will keep you here until we get what we want and deserve. Farbauti will not dare to attack us as long as he knows his precious little son is here."

"You do not deserve _anything_ our realm has to offer! Odin rips us from our most rare mineral and does not give us anything in return."

"Shut your mouth, liar. You don't know anything about politics. Maybe you should think before you speak next time." Thor said but Loki realised there was a deep frown on his face the moment he pointed out what Odin was doing. Though Thor didn't say anything about it. Instead, he kept watching him for some time until Loki almost couldn't bare his gaze upon him anymore. But then, finally, he looked away and stood up, walking over to one of the mahogany shelves, grabbing something. 

Loki could hear something clicking and when Thor turned to walk back he could see Thor had grabbed a pair of golden cuffs, engraved with dwarven runes. Thor quickly grabbed his wrist and leaving Loki to trash out with his free hand. He hauled off and tried to hit Thor with his free hand he'd clenched into a fist, but Thor dodged. Using the opportunity, Loki changed the direction, clawing at Thor's blond hair and pulled _hard_ as soon as he got a hand full of it. Thor let out a pained growl and he pushed himself up and above Loki, his bulky frame hovering over him. Thor then used his free hand to put it across Loki's face to blind him the second the tips of Loki's fingers started glowing with Seiðr. 

"Don't be stupid!!" Thor yelled when Loki kicked out, only to be rewarded with Thor's heavy knees pressing his legs down. "Use your magic here and you will hurt us both in this position!!"

It was true and Loki continued to fight against his firm grip a few more seconds until his muscles started to burn with the effort. Slowly, he stilled and Thor quickly snapped the cuffs around his wrists, tying his hands to the bed. The blond let out a heavy but satisfied smile as he moved off of him again, taking Mjölnir off as well. 

"There. That was not too bad." He pointed out and Loki could literally feel angry tears burning at the back of his eyes. Dwarven runes. They were made specifically to bind Seiðr and left Loki helpless. 

"You will regret doing this! My father will rip your body apart limb by limb!" Loki snarled. Thor only chuckled. 

"I don't think so, Loki."

****

The next days didn't go as planned. At all.

Loki tried to escape more than once but it was impossible and the more he tried to get rid of the cuffs the more his wrists started to burst and the bruises got worse until he'd scraped his wrists bloody. On that day, Thor stayed longer. Usually he would just come in and bring him books and food, a bowl with water and a towel so he would be able to wash himself. But Thor never talked to him which made everything even more frustrating because Loki didn't know what was going on outside. He felt utterly trapped in this room and didn't know what he should do to get away from here now that his magic was sealed with the cuffs and the chain that was attached to it was only long enough for Loki to reach out to the food and the towel at the bedside cabinet. 

Today was different though. Thor actually stayed after bringing him food, sitting there and watching. Just watching for a long time until the gaze of his stormy blue eyes got too uncomfortable. 

"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop staring at me like this."

"Why? Does it bother you?"

"Yes it does!!"

"Why?"

Well... that was a good question. Loki couldn't really explain. But he had to say _something_ or otherwise it would feel like a lost battle with Thor. 

"Because we are enemies and you look at me like I am some kind of captured animal."

"You're not an animal, Loki."

"I know that, _amadan_!" Loki cursed. "But you look at me like I am."

"I apologise. That was not my intention."

That was a surprise. "What _was_ your intention?"

"I've heard stories about the son of Farbauti and Laufey but I never thought they were true until you kept walking down the avenue that leads to Bilskirnir, my home."

"What?"

"One of the palaces of Ásgarðr. Bilskirnir belongs to me and right now you're lying in the bed in one of the many bedrooms." Thor explained further, his voice oddly calm and soft. He kept quiet for a moment and then stood up, walking over to Loki again, sitting down next to him on the bed. "If you keep trying to break the cuffs you will continue to hurt yourself and end up getting your wrists infected."

"I know that."

"Then stop."

"Why don't you just take the cuffs off?"

"You know I can't do that, Loki."

 _Shit_. Maybe Thor was not as idiotic as Loki thought he was. And right now, Thor seemed to be entirely different from what he was a week ago when they met in that forest. 

"Give me your hands, Loki."

"Why should I?"

Thor didn't reply. He just sat there and slowly held his hand up, the inside of his hand facing upwards like an invitation. Loki looked at the offered hand and watched it for a while. Thor's hand looked so big and rough and calloused. His fingers were long and defined and the longer Loki stared the more details he noticed. The tiny birthmarks, a few small cuts and the wrinkles, the lines in his palm. When he looked up, he noticed Thor was still looking at him, a little smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

Then, finally, Loki reached up and put his hands in Thor's. Then, Thor slowly took a wet towel from the bedside cabinet and tilted his hands a little, pushing the cuffs upwards carefully so he could clean the wounds on his wrists with the damp towel. 

Thor's hands were surprisingly soft and gentle.

" _Feasgair... math_." Thor suddenly said and Loki blinked in surprise. He couldn't stop a small chuckle leaving his lips when he heard just how terrible his accent and his pronunciation was. 

"Since when do you speak my language?" Loki asked, raising an eyebrow. It had been very rough but Thor had just said _good evening_ to him. 

"It may surprise you, but I can speak various languages. I am not as dumb as you may think I am."

"Languages such as?"

"Well... of course there is my own mother tongue, _Hjardingsh_." Thor started, still cleaning the wounds at Loki's wrists. "I learned _Isdira_ , language of the Elves of Álfheimr. I also know some _Oloarkh_ to be able to trade with the Dwarves of Svartálfaheimr and over the years I started studying the cultures of Miðgarðr. There are a hand full of languages from that realm too such as _English, Icelandic_ and _German_. It is truly interesting. But my latest interest is something else." Thor made a short pause and used the other side of the towel to dry his wrists by gently patting onto his skin. " _Nujuka_. The language of the Frost Giants of Jötunheimr. _Your_ language."

"Well, Thor, that sounds all very lovely." Loki replied, sarcasm dripping from his tongue. "But there is no reason for me to help you with anything at all."

"Did you know that your father and his troops left Ásgarðr?" 

" _What_?!!" Loki almost believed that Thor had made a bad joke. But he was looking dead serious. 

"After he attacked us that night, he-"

"Wait, no. _You_ attacked _us_!"

"No, Loki. Farbauti attacked us and I sent troops to your camp to destroy Farbauti's rearguard. My father offered him lands here in this realm but apparently it was not enough for him so he attacked. I merely made sure the damage done to my realm would be as little as possible. And when he realised he cannot win this idiotic battle he started, he left. We already sent a message to Jötunheimr but Farbauti has yet to answer."

"That can't be true."

"Believe it or not, I don't care. But your kin is not in this realm any longer."

And with that, Thor grabbed a bottle with some bright green lotion, gently rubbing it where his skin was scratched open. Loki immediately felt a soothing coolness and he let out an approving hum right when Thor stood up and made his way to leave the room without saying anything else. 

****

Thor came back the next day, catching Loki reading one of the books he brought him. The moment Thor entered, Loki looked up from his book and put it back on the bedside cabinet upside down. 

"How are your wrists? Did the lotion help?"

"It did, yes." Loki said and pressed his lips together for a few seconds. " _Latha math_ is the proper way to greet someone during the day, by the way." He added and crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking down at his lap. 

Thor chuckled warmly and sat down at the bed again. 

"Lethe math." Thor repeated

"It's an _A_. Latha. Not Lethe."

"Latha math."

"Exactly."

Loki was not sure why he was even doing this. Thor's words yesterday and his entire behaviour had made him rethink his situation. If it was true and Farbauti had ordered the troops to leave... then he would be stuck here until further negotiations were discussed. Then again, discussions had never really been... successful. Odin was stupidly stubborn after all so how could he know when and if he'd even be able to leave at some point and go home? 

So he might as well try to arrange himself with this situation. For now.

So he decided to be at least a little nice. As nice as Thor was to him that was. 

For the rest of the day, Loki tried to teach Thor a little bit of Nujuka. And Thor had been right - Loki did think of him as an idiot but not anymore. He was learning really fast and he was good, better than Loki expected. Maybe he hadn't tried to impress Loki after all when he'd first introduced himself. Maybe he really knew all about this stuff and had all these duties. Simply because he was good at it.

Either way, it was not as bad as Loki thought it would be, teaching Thor his language. It was not something he utterly enjoyed but it was way better than spending the entire day alone in this room and trying to entertain himself with books and being alone with his own thoughts. Back when they had met, Loki had talked to him in Hjardingsh. Everyone knew that language, some better, some not so good. And of course the Æsir knew the basics of Nujuka as well. Otherwise they wouldn't be able to negotiate after all. 

But at the end of the day, Thor already knew a lot more. By the end of the day, Thor was able to talk about quite some things with Loki. Maybe not the most interesting subjects, but it was enough for a little bit of small talk. 

And that continued during the next days. Thor came back and applied some lotion on his wrists. Loki taught him some more Nujuka, now going deeper into the grammar and vocabulary. In return, Thor taught him more of Hjardingsh.

Apart from learning languages, they learned about each other as well. Thor's favourite colour was blue, much to Loki's surprise. He loved mead as much as he loved tea and vanilla flavour. He enjoyed riding his horse Arfast and he liked the feeling of cold water on his skin. Loki told him about his favourite food, _Gánniasg_ , a special kind of raw fish. Loki told him a bit more about his Seiðr as well and Thor even told him more about Mjölnir and how the lightning felt. 

By now, with the way Thor looked at him, Loki did not feel like a prisoner anymore.

On the fifteenth day, Thor had learned so much that he told him he would go and try to talk to Farbauti for further negotiations. 

****

"He does not want to cooperate." Thor said when he came back two days later. 

Loki did not know how to respond to this. "Why can't you let me go?"

"Ásgarðr is safe as long as you are here. Do not complain, not all prisoners enjoy the comfort of my private chamber."

"This is _your_ room?"

"Aye, one of many."

"Am I supposed to be grateful now?"

"No, Loki. But you need to understand your position. I don't have to be nice to you. Capturing you was an act with political background." Thor continued to explain. Then, there was a long pause and Thor seemed to hesitate, his lips parted as if he wanted to say something. Then, he closed his mouth again and waited again before finally bringing himself to talk. "You are not here because I like you, Loki." He said. 

Oddly enough, Loki was disappointed. 

They shared a long gaze and Loki swallowed, taking a deep and long breath, licking his lips. 

Of course. They might talk and learn from each other, but Loki was not here because they were about to become friends. Of course he remembered this very well whenever he was alone and all his attention was drawn back to the cuffs. 

But whenever Thor was here with him, he didn't feel like a prisoner. 

"Are you going back again some time?" Loki asked.

"I will wait until tomorrow and then go back. I made my intentions clear and Farbauti did as well."

**** 

Thor didn't come back for four days and instead, a servant continued to take care of Loki though she didn't talk much. Loki was bored. Incredibly bored and he wondered how much longer Thor would decide to leave him alone here. What was he doing? How much longer would the negotiations go? And what were they talking about anyway? Did something happen? 

These were questions that just would not leave Loki during these four days and he couldn't even concentrate on his books properly anymore. He was worried about his realm. And he was worried about himself and about his family. What if something happened to them? 

One of the healers, Sigyn, a young girl of Vanaheim came to see him during these four days along with the servant. She was nice and Loki actually enjoyed her company because she gave him the feeling that she genuinely liked him. So Thor's time away was bearable.

Then, on the fifth day in the evening, Thor finally came back. The door burst open with a loud crash that made Loki yelp with shock and he sat up immediately, looking up at the intruder - Thor. But it was not the gentle Thor Loki knew from their conversations.

When Thor entered, lightning was radiating from his tanned skin and his armour was damaged, stained with blood. His expression was hardened and there was a deep cut above his right eyebrow, blood running down and into his eye, over his cheek and pooled at the corner of his mouth. He looked angry. Utterly angry. Thor held Mjölnir with such a force at his side that his knuckles turned white. 

"Thor, what happened? Did you talk to my father?"

Thor didn't reply. Instead, he took a few steps forward, letting Mjölnir drop onto the ground before he grabbed the chain that connected Loki's hands with the cuffs, yanking them up and crawling on top of him. 

"Thor! Wait, no-" Loki yelled but was silenced when he felt Thor's other hand around his neck. He was not squeezing, he was just holding him down, his knee parting Loki's legs and his other hand pushing Loki's wrists into the mattress over his head. 

Still not saying anything, Thor moved closer and then Loki could feel Thor's lips meeting his own. Loki trashed out, pushing against the sheer force but Thor was just so strong that he was not moving. Not even a single bit. Thor continued, his tongue forcing his lips apart but the moment Loki could feel the wet and warm tongue in his own mouth, he bit down on his tongue, _hard_. Immediately, he tasted blood in his mouth and Thor yelped, pulling back with his head and hands. Loki wasted no time, leashing out with his fists and hitting Thor right across his nose. There was a loud crack and Thor groaned, giving Loki more time. Loki pulled his legs back so he could kick Thor against his chest as hard as he could, literally kicking Thor off of the bed and sending him to the ground with a hard thud. 

"Leave!!" Loki yelled at him and suddenly, the hard expression in Thor's features softened for a second. 

"Oh Norns, Loki, I am so sorry, I-"

"I said _leave_!!"

Then, Thor frowned again. 

"You are my prisoner, Loki! Do not forget that!" Thor replied and stood up, angrily clenching his teeth as he got near him again. But when he stopped in front of the bed because Loki jerked backwards, he reached out, grabbing a hold of his chin and forcing Loki to look at him. "You are my prisoner and I can do as I please with you! Do not forget that!" Thor spat though there was something in Thor's eyes that Loki found irritating. 

It was not a threat or hate. It almost looked like discomfort and insecurity.

And with that, Thor left him alone - again. 

Loki breathed heavily, his lower lip trembling with the force of trying to hold himself back from crying. 

What in Hel's name was that all about? 

****

Loki did not look up the next day when the door was opened with a creek. He couldn't hear footsteps so he figured Thor was standing in the doorframe, remaining silent for a few long seconds that felt like hours. 

"It was a trap. I ran into a group of warriors when I came to the palace to talk to your father. He does not want to negotiate and he does not feel the need to discuss the matters and conditions concerning your release. So you will stay here and you will remain being my prisoner. Get used to that thought."

****

"You must forgive him." Sigyn said when she placed the plate with the food on the bedside cabinet. 

"I will not."

"Thor is not cruel. He is just frustrated."

" _Frustrated_?!" Loki yelled back. " _I_ am the one who is being kept a prisoner! I am the one who has to live in an environment that is way too hot for him. I am the one who is not able to see his family again and Thor _dares_ to say _he_ is the one being frustrated?!!"

Sigyn let out a sigh and sat down on the bed.

"Thor is an intelligent man Loki. But one of his flaws is that he gets mad at himself when his plans do not work out the way he wants them to."

"That is not my problem."

"He thought capturing you would help him end the war between our realms."

"That is quite a weak and unimaginative plan for an intelligent strategist." Loki spat. 

"It may not have been his best plan, but we have never been so close to peace as we are now."

"I do not care. As long as Odin forces us to give your realm all our minerals and is unwilling to give us anything in return... I really don't want peace."

This made Sigyn frown and she shook his head. "As far as I know they already agreed on this matter."

"What?"

"Aye. I don't know exactly what they are discussing now, but Thor was attacked by some warriors the last time he went to Jötunheimr even if they both agreed on a meeting without weapons. To be honest I can understand his fury."

****

Sigyn didn't know what they were negotiating now. And Thor did not come to see him anymore. Loki felt alone. There were no explanations. No visits. No messages. He saw how the Bifröst was opened sometimes but then - nothing. 

That all changed a few days later though. 

Loki was already asleep when someone opened the door. He blinked tiredly at the noise and groaned, recognising Thor's broad frame that was lit by the light in the hallway from behind. The door was closed again and Thor's heavy footsteps came closer until Loki could feel the mattress giving in under Thor's weight. 

"No." Loki mumbled, fighting against the way Thor's arms wrapped around him. 

Thor held his arms around him, Loki's back flush against Thor's broad chest and then Loki could smell it. The sharp smell of mead in Thor's breath and it made Loki flinch, wrinkling his nose in disgust. 

"...'m a failure." Thor mumbled and Loki instinctively stilled in his movements. He frowned. 

"Promised father to solve it." Thor shifted his weight, nuzzling into Loki's neck and making Loki shiver. "I failed to reach...my own." He continued and Thor sighed deeply, another wave of scent making Loki hold his breath for a few seconds. 

"Your own?"

"Farbauti agreed to our... our ditions..." ditions? Did Thor mean _conditions_? "...father wanted more Endurium and will exchange you for it. I changed the conditions. You don't leave."

Oh.

"My prisoner. I decide you leave or not."

_Oh._

Thor's grip on him tightened and he could feel his body shake with the effort to hold something back Loki couldn't name yet. And Loki let him have this. Feeling Thor's arms wrapped around him so tightly woke a new feeling inside him he could not name. It was odd and it made him uncomfortable and comfortable at the same time. Loki was more than just confused but right now he could not bring himself to care. 

And he didn't care. 

Not until the next morning because when he could feel Thor finally coming to his senses again when the sun was already high up at the sky already... then he started caring. Thor pulled back, slowly, carefully as if he wanted to make sure he did not wake Loki. 

"I am awake." Loki said, destroying the Thor's chance of leaving without him noticing. He turned, standing up into a sitting position so he could look at Thor. The thunderer's face was deeply flushed red and he could see that he was biting down the inside of his cheek harshly. 

"Why did you change the conditions of my release after father agreed?"

Thor looked utterly caught. As if he'd just done something he'd been forbidden to do.

"Things didn't go as planned?" Loki tried instead after not getting a response from Thor for a few heartbeats.

"No they did not."

"What went wrong?"

"He attacked me after I changed the conditions of your... release."

"What did you change Thor? And why?"

Thor took a deep breath and looked down for a long time before he could bring himself to look into his eyes again. 

"I said he can keep the Endurium if he is so fond of that damned mineral. And in return I get to keep you. I am sure you can understand Odin was not pleased and neither was Farbauti."

"You wish to keep me a prisoner instead of getting that rare and powerful metal?"

"...It seems so, aye."

So the conversations they had did not only affect Loki. Maybe Thor had tried to keep being what was considered of him? Maybe Thor hadn't intended to actually start liking Loki? Just as Loki hadn't expected to start liking Thor either. 

"Take the cuffs away from me, Thor."

"Father forbids me to do so."

"Thor, I haven't left that bed for a month now. My back hurts."

After saying this, Thor moved closer silently and detached the chain from the bed with the keys, holding the chain firmly in his hands. "Do not tell my father about this." He said and Loki could hear in his voice that - even if he apparently liked him - this was a legit threat. "You may move around my house. Do not leave these walls or you will regret it."

****

Bilskirnir was truly beautiful. Loki spent the next few days exploring the castle and even if his hands were still tied together, it was way better than being chained to that bed. His legs had genuinely started to hurt and his legs as well so it was a relief to say the least, to finally be able to move again. Sometimes, Thor spent some time with him. Just sitting in the inner gardens. In the library and watching Loki read - but Thor never touched Loki and he noticed the change in his behaviour. It was such a difference from the Thor that had captured him. Loki wondered why that was. 

Right now, he couldn't believe Thor had used words with spite and to simply tease.

Right now, Thor looked like a kicked puppy that still followed his cruel owner around. 

"How much longer will the negotiations go on?" Loki asked after a few more days, looking over the edge of his book. Thor looked surprised that Loki talked to him but he gave him a smile, not moving away from his seat opposite to where Loki was. 

"They actually want to decide what is to do today."

Loki let out a thoughtful hum at that, putting the book down into his lap. 

"Thor why did you try to kiss me?" Loki suddenly, finally, asked and he could see Thor's face going paper white. 

"I- I merely-"

"Do not lie, Odinson." Loki dared and all of a sudden, Loki really felt like he was indeed, no longer a prisoner in these halls. 

"I was angry." Thor answered quietly. "My father trusts me with a lot of things and he grants me full responsibility when it comes down to military and politics. Strategies. But he fails to agree that things need to change in order to get proper results." He started but it only irritated Loki more. But he did not say anything. He wanted to wait and see if things would be explained any better if he let Thor finish. "Exchanging you for the minerals was a good plan. But when I started looking at you through that window whenever you looked up... I just felt like we were making a mistake. And that feeling still lingers." Thor's voice was quiet by now, almost as if he was afraid someone else might hear him. "Odin was furious when he found out I did not want to give you- when he found out I changed the conditions. But I feel like trading a real person is not what this should be about."

"...Then what should this be about, Thor?"

Again, Thor hesitated. Loki almost thought he was afraid of something. 

"I want to get to know you better, Loki. Father told me to find someone to marry. Someone I can spend my life with because he wants me to take over Hliðskjálf soon. I've looked around. There are many, but no one quite like you. I want to get to know you. I want to fall deeper in love with you and I wish our realms would end the war so I could have you. Not as a prisoner but as an equal spouse at my side. And I wish you are feeling the same."

"You kept me a prisoner, Thor. You wanted to touch me without my consent. And you still keep me here. Do you really think I wish the same things as you are? Do you really expect me to feel the same way?"

"No. I do not expect you. But I wish you would. And I apologise for my behaviour. I... am too forward sometimes. I did not think about consequences the day I caught you. I should have treated you differently. And I don't know what I was thinking when I tried to kiss you. Loki, I am truly sorry. I've made mistakes. And I wish you would grant me a second chance."

"It is not that easy, Thor."

****

At the end of the day, Thor came back with the outcome of the negotiations. For some reason, the old conditions had been brought back to life and now Loki was free to go in exchange for the Endurium. 

Loki watched Thor's expression changing when he stood back next to his father who welcomed him back in his arms. It was not as good as Loki expected it to be. Knowing that he could go back now. That he could _finally_ go back home and live his life again. Because it seems as if they had agreed on truce for now. It was of course calming to know that for now, they were all safe from war. 

But Loki was not satisfied.

And he was not satisfied when he was back home. The cold winds of Jötunheimr were comforting but they were not what he wanted. Being free of his cuffs and being able to use his Seiðr again was wonderful. But something did not feel quite right. Thor's words still lingered in his mind. _I wish you would grant me a second chance_. 

They had really met under... really unfortunate circumstances.

Because Loki had seen a different side of Thor. He had seen the gentle and kind soul that Thor was each day when they had taught each other so much. And these were the times where Loki had decided that this was the real Thor. Not the one that was on the battle field. Or maybe Thor was both. 

Maybe they only needed to see that they were not enemies. And due to their fathers... this had been difficult. The war had been forcing them to see each other as enemies instead of letting them decide whether or not they wanted to fight.

****

Loki barely lasted two days when he was already on his way back to Ásgarðr, making his way to Bilskirnir. And when he arrived, he knocked at the front door, not quite sure whether or not this was the proper way to ask for permission to enter. Loki waited... waited a few moments longer... and when he was already about to leave again, the door was opened. 

Loki's heart was beating utterly fast when he saw Thor with his red woolen tunic, his tight leather pants and a surprised expression. 

He smiled at the blond. 

"Hello. I was told the prince of Ásgarðr is living in these halls?" Loki asked, hoping Thor would get the hint. Because he did look utterly confused for a few seconds, mouth open with a silent question. 

But eventually, Thor seemed to get what Loki was implying and a careful smile appeared on his full lips. 

"Aye, you heard right. Who am I talking to?"

Loki's smiled widened and he bowed lightly. "Loki, son of Farbauti, future heir to the throne of Jötunheimr."

Thor returned the bow. 

"I would be honored to welcome you in my home, prince Loki."

**Author's Note:**

> Phew! This was a long prompt fill and it didn't even go as planned.  
> I actually wanted things to go differently and I intended to put in some shameless smut but now it ended up like this.  
> Some things happened differently when I planned it but then everything kind of got out of hand. 
> 
> Maybe there'll be a sequel?  
> What do you guys think, would you like to read more of this?


End file.
